Ch 76: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

The ten employees from both the restaurant and the dining hall discussed among themselves, with the elder women, Aunt Xiang from the restaurant and Aunt Wang from the dining hall, deciding to stay behind and watch over the place.

“We’re getting too old to join in on the fun,” they said.

Qin Xia agreed to let them stay behind, assuring them that they’d still receive their wages.

When Yan Wei heard that Qin Xia was planning to take his employees into the mountains to forage for mushrooms and wanted to hire him as a guide, he instinctively replied, “I was planning to head into the mountains anyway, so I’ll guide you for free.”

But Qin Xia insisted on paying him.

“We have a large group, and it’s unfamiliar territory. It’ll be much more work for you than when you’re going alone. I can’t let you do it for free. How about we pay per person?”

After thinking it over, Yan Wei suggested, “Just 20 coins per person, that’s enough to cover it.”

“At this time of year, a lot of villagers are out in the mountains gathering mushrooms. If they see outsiders, they might not be too happy about it. I’ll take you to a less crowded spot where there’s plenty of mushrooms, and we won’t have to compete with anyone. And, that way, you don’t have to wake up too early.”

The diligent folks usually headed up the mountain at the crack of dawn, but leaving from town, they wouldn’t make it in time. Qin Xia agreed this sounded good.

Yan Wei added, “It rained last night. Give the mushrooms a few days to grow, and let’s head out the day after tomorrow. How does that sound?”

The day after tomorrow happened to be a scheduled day off for the county school and other academies. Qin Xia nodded in agreement.

“How will we meet up with you?”

Yan Wei gave him directions.

“Go to the town’s cart station and rent a cart. Just tell them you’re headed to Xiaoshi Village. I’ll meet you along the way at dawn.”

Since this was a rare trip out of town, Qin Xia asked the employees if they wanted to bring any family members along.

The three unmarried men from the dining hall all shook their heads. Zheng Xinghua, however, thought about bringing her younger sister-in-law.

“Then bring her along,” Qin Xia said. “She can keep Xiaoyao company.”

The two girls had played together before, so they weren’t strangers.

Qin Xia also asked Fang Rong and Liu Douzi if they wanted to come. Liu Douzi jumped up, saying he wanted to bring Meng Ge’er along.

Fang Rong shot a quick glance at Qin Xia before smacking her son on the back.

“Calm down! The mountains are full of snakes and bugs. Don’t go dragging some poor ge’er into this.”

Only then did Liu Douzi realize.

Qin Xia didn’t mind, knowing that Hu Jiuque was safe and doing well in the capital, and that his plans were progressing smoothly.

“If you want to go, then go. But your mom is right—maybe you should ask Meng Ge’er if he’s okay with it first.”

After getting a sharp look from his mom, Liu Douzi changed his tune.

“Actually, I just remembered that Meng Ge’er is afraid of bugs. I guess I’ll go by myself.”

Qin Xia was amused, glad to have Liu Douzi around as someone to chat with.

When the day arrived, the group set out early in the morning, traveling through the dew-covered roads on rented donkey carts headed to Xiaoshi Village.

Since there were quite a few people, Qin Xia rented three carts, each with a cover. Just as they were about to leave, another cart joined the back of the line.

Driving the cart was Da Kui, who waved his whip and greeted cheerfully, “Boss Qin, what a coincidence! You’re heading to the mountains too?”

Behind him were two other men Qin Xia recognized, both of them working under Bao Chun.

The two of them awkwardly bowed to Qin Xia and greeted, “Boss Qin.”

Then they gestured toward Da Kui’s back and shook their heads, as if to say there was nothing they could do about it.

Qin Xia returned the greeting with a resigned smile.

Da Kui’s interest in Zhuang Xing had not waned after all this time, which showed he was genuinely serious. And since Da Kui had brought his own cart, there was no reasonable way to stop him from joining.

The commotion quickly reached the cart where Zhuang Xing, Zheng Xinghua, and others sat. Also in the cart were Qiu Yao, Zheng Xinghua’s younger sister-in-law Yu Jie’er, and Su Ge’er, one of the food servers from the dining hall.

Su Ge’er was the first to notice Da Kui’s presence and nudged Zhuang Xing with a playful smile.

“Xing Ge’er, Da Kui is heading to the mountains with us.”

Zhuang Xing’s ears flushed red.

At first, he hadn’t thought Da Kui’s frequent visits to the restaurant had anything to do with him, but after Zheng Xinghua pointed it out, he realized the truth. Since then, he had been trying to avoid Da Kui, but there were only so many opportunities to do so. Inevitably, they bumped into each other every few days.

He couldn’t understand why Da Kui liked him. Zhuang Xing was older, had a birthmark on his face, and was without parents. Meanwhile, Da Kui, though also not young, was a strong, able-bodied man with both parents still living. He could easily marry anyone in town, someone far better than himself.

“Xiaoyao and Yu Jie’er are here, so don’t cause any trouble,” he said, looking pointedly at Su Ge’er. “And when we get there, don’t start teasing anyone.”

Then, turning to Zheng Xinghua, he added, “Sister Zheng, I’ll be sticking close to you today.”

Zheng Xinghua smiled and replied, “That’s fine.”

She reassured him, “Don’t worry, Da Kui is respectful. He won’t do anything inappropriate.”

Zhuang Xing rubbed his face. He knew Da Kui was a decent man, but since he had long decided not to marry, he hadn’t figured out how to respond to Da Kui’s earnestness.

Meanwhile, Liu Douzi and Qin Xia shared a cart by themselves. Well, almost by themselves—the cart was also loaded with food supplies.

Qin Xia had brought marinated meat, washed vegetables, and a variety of seasonings, intending to have a picnic in the mountains for lunch.

“You’re such a good boss,” Liu Douzi remarked, “I’m jealous of your employees.”

Qin Xia handed him a fresh apple. In the Dayong era, apples were called “linqin,” and they were small and somewhat ugly.

“Have some ambition,” Qin Xia teased. “Soon, you’ll be running your own shop.”

Liu Douzi took a bite of the apple. It was juicy, but also quite sour. Grimacing, he said, “I don’t think I’m cut out for it. When the time comes, I’ll just leave the management to my husband. He’ll handle the finances and running the place, and I’ll be the one doing the heavy lifting.”

Even a small shop was still a shop, and Liu Douzi was worried he might mess things up.

After finishing his words, Liu Douzi sneaked a glance at Qin Xia, who was eating his apple, but in the end, he refrained from bringing up anything about Jiu Ge’er.

While the shop’s employees still had rest days, Xia ge, as the boss, was there every single day. It was good for him to take this opportunity to relax and unwind. The worries could stay back in the county—once in the mountains, they could all be left behind.

The donkey carts dropped them off at Xiaoshi Village, took the fare, and returned with empty carts. If it had been ox carts, they might have waited for the villagers to catch a ride back, but hardly anyone could afford to ride these sheltered donkey carts, so the cart drivers didn’t waste time.

“Boss Qin, you’ve arrived!” Yao Wei, with his sister Yao Qiao, ran up to them. “Today, my little sister and I will lead you all up the mountain.”

He scanned the group and noticed that there were more people than expected.

Da Kui volunteered, “We came on our own; no need to count us in.”

Qin Xia added, “These three brothers have experience in the mountains.”

Yao Wei nodded—he could tell. The three men in front of him were tall and sturdy, likely with military backgrounds. If something happened in the mountains, it was unclear who would be helping whom.

Though he didn’t need to worry about the three men, he would have to keep an eye on the rest of the group. After carefully inspecting everyone and seeing that they had followed his advice to tie their pants securely with cloth strips, he was reassured. He then began handing out yellow powder.

“Sprinkle this on your shoes and pant legs to ward off snakes and insects.”

Qiu Yao nervously looked up at Yao Wei and asked, “Big Brother Yao, are there really snakes in the mountains?”

Yao Wei smiled down at her and said, “There are, but don’t worry, I’ll lead us away from them.”

He was very experienced, and he knew that mountain snakes wouldn’t attack people unless provoked.

Qin Xia noticed the two hunting dogs Yao Wei had brought along.

“Are these both wolfhounds?” He wondered when his own dog, Zhaocai, would grow that big. By comparison, it was still just a little pup.

Yao Qiao answered for her brother, “Yes, this one’s Da Hui, and the other is Er Hua.”

Liu Douzi glanced at Er Hua. “Is this one female?”

Yao Qiao nodded, “Yes, they’re a pair.”

One of the younger employees sighed, “Even the dogs have partners, and yet I don’t.”

One of the men standing near Da Kui couldn’t hold back his laughter and let out a chuckle, only to be punched in the arm by Da Kui right after.

Su Ge’er, noticing the exchange, hurriedly nudged Zhuang Xing to join in watching the fun.

Zhuang Xing quickly glanced over but, before Da Kui could notice, pulled Su Ge’er aside to avoid getting caught.

Once everything was ready, the group set off together up the mountain.

The forest was vast and mysterious, and most of the people in this group had grown up in the city. Not only had they never been to the mountains, but they had never even worked the land.

At the foot of the mountain, Yao Wei repeatedly emphasized the importance of sticking closely to him.

“The men follow me, and the women follow Ah Qiao. One of my dogs will lead the way, and the other will guard the rear.”

Da Kui and his two companions also volunteered to bring up the rear.

With these three men and a hunting dog at the back, the group felt reassured.

Qin Xia, Liu Douzi, and Yao Wei led the way, with Qin Xia using a wooden stick as a makeshift hiking staff. From the moment they entered the mountains, he couldn’t get enough of the scenery.

In early autumn, the temperature in the mountains was several degrees cooler than outside. A thick layer of fallen leaves cushioned the ground, and the air was filled with the distinct smell of grass and trees.

Qin Xia didn’t have much experience picking mushrooms, so he spent the whole time listening to Yao Wei’s explanations.

“Shady slopes often have mushrooms. Look near tree roots and places with thick leaves. If you find one, there’s likely to be more around it.”

Before long, there was a discovery. Yao Wei called everyone over to the base of a tree.

Qin Xia may not have known how to pick mushrooms, but he could recognize them.

“There are so many matsutake mushrooms here! They’re perfect for making chicken soup.”

One of the workers laughed, “Boss Qin, is it true that whenever you see something edible, a recipe pops into your head?”

Qin Xia smiled, “Pretty much.”

It was an occupational hazard, and there was no cure.

In autumn, there were already several types of mushrooms to be found in the mountains around Qinan County. The most common ones were matsutake and oyster mushrooms, as well as green-head mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms.

The tender ones were good for soup, while the crunchy ones were perfect for stir-frying with meat. As Qin Xia picked mushrooms, he couldn’t help explaining how to cook each type, making everyone’s mouths water.

“Don’t pick mushrooms you don’t recognize; some of them are poisonous,” Yao Wei warned, doing his job with great diligence. Even while talking, he didn’t slack off on his work. A closer look would reveal that he and Yao Qiao were the most skilled and had picked the most mushrooms.

“What’s this ugly mushroom? Can you eat it?”

Da Kui and his companions had wandered off from Yao Wei and returned holding a few black-and-white mushrooms with raised, snake-like patterns that gave everyone the chills.

Qiu Chuan, standing nearby, glanced at the mushrooms and started rubbing his arms with Qiu Yao.

“They look just like snake skin,” he said.

Everyone grimaced. They hadn’t thought much of it at first, but once it was mentioned, they couldn’t unsee the resemblance.

Yao Qiao took the mushrooms and examined them.

“This is what we call pinecone mushrooms around here. Don’t they look like pinecones?”

Everyone’s expressions eased a bit. It was easier to accept them as resembling pinecones rather than snakes.

Qin Xia recognized them as pinecone boletus mushrooms.

“They are edible, but they don’t taste very good. Eating them is like chewing wood.”

But since they were already here, he asked Da Kui where he had picked them.

“Some restaurants in town want to serve mushroom banquets, so it’s good to gather as many types as possible.”

As they passed by Yao Wei, Qin Xia said, “For the mushrooms you and Yao Qiao picked, I’ll buy them from you at market price after we get down the mountain.”

In fact, Yao Wei already showed great kindness by leading them up the mountain. After all, the mushrooms they picked could fetch a decent price when sold in town, and he was only charging twenty coins per person.

Yao Wei nodded. He agreed because he knew Qin Xia was fair and wouldn’t shortchange him, which made him willing to take on the job.

After gathering a batch of pinecone mushrooms, they continued up the mountain.

Not long after, Qin Xia finally spotted some “Jianshouqing” mushrooms. Despite the word “green” in their name, they were actually mostly red and yellow.

Their bright colors made them look like something dangerous. When Qin Xia bent down to pick them, Yao Wei rushed over and stopped him.

“These are poisonous, Boss Qin.”

Upon hearing they were poisonous, everyone behind him immediately froze.

Qin Xia wasn’t surprised by Yao Wei’s concern and explained, “I know, but I also know how to prepare them to remove the toxins. If cooked properly, these mushrooms are delicious.”

Yao Wei gave him a doubtful look but emphasized, “In our village, kids who didn’t know better once brought them home and cooked them like it was a game. They ended up vomiting and having diarrhea—barely saved their lives.”

Qin Xia assured him he knew what he was doing. “I’m a chef. I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”

“Alright,” Yao Wei relented, choosing to trust Qin Xia’s expertise as a chef.

After all, Yao Wei had heard of a poisonous fish called fugu, which city dwellers would go out of their way to eat despite the danger. Some even wrote poems about how delicious it was.

To him, it seemed like people in the city had tasted too many regular delicacies. Ordinary food no longer interested them—they craved rare, exotic, and even dangerous dishes.

It was the same logic behind the wild game he sold to the city. Some wild animals’ meat wasn’t nearly as tasty as pork, but people still paid a premium for it.

Learning that the poisonous mushrooms were ingredients for the restaurant, the staff perked up and helped with the picking.

Once they had enough, everyone stood up, stretching their legs.

At this point, they could faintly hear the sound of flowing water in the distance.

Someone asked about it, and Yao Wei replied, “There’s a stream up ahead, with a clearing next to it where we can rest. We’ll make a fire, fetch some water, cook a meal, and then head down the mountain after eating.”

Qin Xia looked up. The towering trees made it hard to tell the time of day.

After walking a bit further, the sound of the water grew louder.

Yao Wei whistled, and the two hunting dogs bolted ahead excitedly.

Following closely behind, the group soon arrived at the clearing, where the scenery suddenly opened up.

The stream was crystal clear, and the surrounding trees were lush and green.

In the distance, a cluster of bright red flowers bloomed on a cliff, drawing everyone’s attention with their vibrant color.

The two hunting dogs raced across the grassy clearing, startling several birds into flight as they fluttered up to the branches.

Qin Xia took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air.

As he stood before the beautiful scenery, his heart suddenly felt hollow.

If only Ah Jiu were here.

This thought lingered in his mind all the way down the mountain.